Let me give you a clue about who I am. Have you ever heard of the Guardian Angels? We wear the Red Berets started in New York by Curtis Sliwa. I won't bore you with Guardian Angel stories, you can google them or me and you will learn more. I was one of the Leaders of the Guardian Angels in L.A. in the 80's. This is when it was real crazy ( Chicago crazy) but crazy enough for those days especially when crack came onto the scene.

I've been shot twice and shot at more times than I can remember I stopped counting. My point for bringing all this up is I know Cops very well. I've dealt with them as a Guardian Angel and I've dealt with them as a Black man in America. When you say things like "abide by the law and you won't get hurt" That statement alone shows your willful ignorance to what's going on in this country. I'm not a criminal but I've been threatened by Cops on multiple occasions for no reason I can think of except the fact I'm Black.

If you have any Black male friends over the age of 21 I guarantee you they have at least one story of encounters with Police that aren't good. So the whole theory about "obey the law and you wont get hurt" doesn't apply to Blacks and Mexicans in this country. That's the reality of the situation. I don't hate Cops but I do hate Thug racist Cops which nowadays are plenty. I've known Cops and I know a few now indirectly and directly as I've stated. I'm telling that we have a problem in this country and for you to simply disregard it like it's the victims fault is ridiculous.

In closing I think you believe I'm referring to criminals. I'm not and nobody protesting is. If you're committing a crime and are killed during that process of committing the crime, I personally call that instant justice. But if you're a citizen like so many people we see who is unarmed and committing no crime. Why in the world should you be killed by some lunatic coward Cop. That's why people are protesting. This seems to happen to more Black people than anybody else. Am I saying that Whites don't get killed by Cops. No. What we are saying that in those moments of the initial confrontation the number #1 option for these poorly trained Cops is to kill first and ask questions later. You can't be happy about this situation at all.

Yes we have a lot more cops killing than other countries because we have a lot more crime (and just because it wasn't a violent crime DOES NOT MEAN that police force, including killing, was unnecessary). We are the number 1 country in total crimes, by almost double that of the #2 country. And out of the number of cops killing, there are way more good cops having a completely valid reason for doing what they did compared to the number of bad cops who didn't.

You know and I'm sure you do THERE ARE A HUGE AMOUNT OF CRIMINALS AS COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF BAD COPS. There just is no comparison in numbers. AGAIN, protest according to the numbers; Protest to get rid of our criminals and you will see a tremendous drop in deaths by criminals, by good cops and by the rare bad cops.

There is no valid reason why the U.S. has so many criminals. Put your Guardian Angels to work in getting rid of crime instead of trying to get rid of the few bad cops. I bet the numbers on both sides will drop - criminals and bad cops...

I know I have way more experience with our police system than you ever will. I am the son of a police officer who spent several years in the US army prior to becoming a police officer. My father was a police officer in Michigan before we moved to Florida where he worked for the Ft. Lauderdale PD and was badly injured while escorting President Ford. Being the son of a police officer, I've dealt with it every single day for over 21 years straight and that's not including all my years away from home, and I'm over 50 now.

Yes there are bad cops out there. Yes they should be held accountable for their actions and treated as the criminals they are, but there are way more good cops out there than the bad ones, and I'm probably being conservative saying 90% vs. 10%. All I'm saying is protest what the numbers prove.

Yes, we need to get rid of the few bad cops, but more importantly, we need to support the good cops, even those who have killed for valid reasons, and get rid of ALL THIS CRIME in the United States.

Anyway, I'm done arguing. I didn't come to this forum to argue politics. Just like I don't watch the NFL for politics. I and the majority of people watch for entertainment.

To All:

Stand for our National Anthem. Respect our flag. Respect our military. Respect our police. Abide by and respect the law. Respect our country. If you're that unhappy here, LEAVE!!! We are not a perfect country, but if you want to help make it better, instead of condemning our police, help get rid of our biggest problem - our HUGE amount of crime.

I agree with alot of what you said but you still seem to ignore the reason people are protesting and upset. Nobody is protesting Cops killing criminals or Cops having to make a split second decision when faced with an armed suspect. Most people understand that's not an easy job.

What people are upset about including myself is simply this. THERE is no reason whatsover for a Cop to kill somebody who is committing NO CRIME and is unarmed. This has happened way too many times in this country and the overwhelming majority of people that this happens too is Black and Brown people. Too many people like yourself are getting caught up in issues that aren't related to the problem. If one person is killed by a Cop simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time then that's one too many. Yet we have dozens of these cases every year in this country and the numbers go up. You can't just say this is normal or lump it into actual criminal activity. It's not normal and we are the ONLY country in the Western world that has this problem on this level.

As far as the Flag and the military. My oldest son spent 10 years in the Marines. He fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. The brave men and women didn't sacrifice their lives for our rights to be taken away. We have a 1st Amendment right in this country. These protests are peaceful and respectful and they in no way show disrespect to the country. If people don't like the 1st Amendment then I suggest they move to Russia where the 1st Amendment isn't an issue. Too many people are masquerading as Patriots when in fact they're acting unpatriotic espousing ideas straight from a Fascist or Communist regime. That goes for the Left and the Right in this country. These #FakePatriots are doing a tremendous disservice to the conversation.

Lastly this notion that people don't want Politics involved in their sports seem to forget that Politics has always been involved in sports especially in this country. Jim Thorpe, Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson and Muhammed Ali just to name a few. So yeah Politics and sports have always been tied together and that will not change anytime soon.

Here's a strategy. Make your picks the night before next day games. WTF covers. Late start, 3 NBA and 2 NHL games and I was only allowed to pick the total on the Laker/ Sun game. 220. I took the under! 76 points in the 1st qtr. I hate NBA totals. But I was trying to keep pace in the monthly contest.... oh well.

My Brother! Sometimes I'm late to the party, but I will always be there! I have nothing but love and respect for you, Smooth.

I'm hoping your boys can take care of business and give me my dream World Series! Dodgers over the Yankees in 6.

I'm 12-3 on the month. Riding a streak of 4. Let's Ride!!!

Thanks Crush! I'm with you on the Yankees-Dodgers, reminds me of when I was kid growing up. My Mom even told me how back in the old days the Yankees and Dodgers would play in the World Series and of course we won. You guys got us back in 81. I was in College in L.A. for that series. That was the one where Steinbrenner got into a fight in the elevator. I lived down the street from that hotel.

I was actually looking at the tickets on stubhub for the World Series but I must be living in a dream world cause the cheapest ticket was $1100. Thanks but no thanks. LOL. I will keep my happy butt right here in Oregon and watch it from home.

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